The 'Mother' of all anxiety attacks

Is it possible to suffer a brain 'injury', which causes paranoid/fearful symptoms and insomnia?  Or is it possible for this just to start up for no reason.  I have these 'episodes' of extreme fearfulness and feelings of impending doom.  They last for anything from one hour to five hours.  I feel completely terrified.  Completely stricken.  It is as if the worst thing in the world is going to happen to me, or the world.  This is nothing like a 'panic' attack - it goes way beyond that.  It is a completely irrational fear of impending doom or death.   Through trial end error, I have discovered that drinking a sugar laden drink like coke can help bring the episode to an end quicker..?  

I also have terrible insomnia.  I am simply not tired at all, and appear to be able to go for several nights without even needing sleep.  If I ever feel sleepy, no matter whether at night or during the day and try to doze,   at the point of crossing from wakefulness to sleep, I get a massive  'zapping' sensation in my brain, like someone has just put a cattle prod deep inside my head.  It is like my brain has changed totally from the brain I used to have.

I also have a host of physical symptoms.

My doctor thinks I am simply having panic attacks and am anxious and has put me on floxitine.  

I have been on a lot of medications recently for a bad urinary infection and also for a gastriuc problem.  I wondered if perhaps I had had a reaction to some of the drugs.

Thank you, for any help.
Em

[MominCanada]

I can empathize with you Emily.  I would never diagnose you but can tell you that it sounds very similar to how my anxiety started back in November.  I am not as bad as I was, but you have some of the same symptoms that I had.  I had read that anxiety or panic attacks lasted for a short while.  I didn't know what I was having then because I had more of an episode than an attack lasting for hours.  I know that I had a hard time sleeping and STAYING asleep.  I had the same zapping awake feelings.  I read somewhere that this was caused from the REM sleep being disturbed.  

My advice to you is to make sure that you have a good GP and get yourself some help from a psychologist too.  They can give you the tools (cognitive behaviour therapy) to help you through these episodes to being able to combat the feelings before they manifest themselves.  I am not out of the woods yet, but feel that I am being managed by a team that is helping.  I also found that doing things that kept me busy kept my mind off of worrying about my symptoms.  

What other symptoms do you have?  Mine started out with extreme fatigue and a whole lot of others.  This forum can be a great place to find others who are in the same place as yourself and can calm you knowing that you are not alone.  The last thing is to make sure that your doctor checks you over and does all necessary tests to rule anything out.  I wish you the best, as this can be debilitating for a while but there is hope and support and you didn't come to be this way over night...so with some help and determination you can learn to deal with it and get back to your normal self.  Keep your chin up.

[Emily34]

Thank you so much.  I feel very reassured that other people recognise these feelings.  I am able to cope when it happens..no matter how bad it gets I am always aware  I am having an episode and it will end eventually.

I was just a little concerned as this seems so be so much more than a panic attack.  I wondered if they were maybe abnormal electrical activity or something...like a seizure.

Thanks so much for your support
EM

[suzi-q]

Still get to a doctor!!!!  Only a doctor can diagnose you!  keep us posted, please!!

[borninquisitive]

Did your GP perform blood tests & a physical,  to rule out other possibilities?

How old are you?

[Emily34]

I'm 37.

No, I get the feeling my doctor thinks I am over anxious and, IMO  does not appear to take me seriously.  He has never mentioned blood work or any examination really, but I am in the UK, and it is not routine here.    I am a single parent, I work full time with all the pressures of life, but I handle things wel I think until now I am worrying about a brain tumour or something.  Of course I am anxious! Now! But I was fine before, absolutely fine until suddenly after taking the meds for the urinary infection together with the meds for the gastritis I began to feel odd.

[borninquisitive]

"Was Cipro one? I have heard about bad anxiety/panic brought on after taking that one."

That's interesting. First part of Jan. I had a UTI/Kidney infection, took Cipro and for about a week later, had heart palps and feeling abit on the anxious side. It subsided.

Later part of Jan. 06 took Ery tabs...and it wasn't long after, I had a SEVERE anxiety bout that lasted an entire month! As it is, I do have a hormonal imbalance and so, perhaps it was due to hormones.

An interesting note (for woman):  Does Sex Make a Difference? (About Gender & medication)

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2005/405_sex.html#drugs

[tanns]

What medication were you on for your infections?  Was Cipro one?  I have heard about bad anxiety/panic brought on after taking that one.  I took Levaquin for an ear infection and experienced a horrible increase in my anxiety.  I had a couple more people mention that--at this site actually.  Someone mentioned a book called Bitter Pills.  I went online and looked a little at it.  Pretty interesting if not a little scary.

I wish you the best.

[Pum]

Are you taking your medication in the morning or evening? Sometimes anti-depressants cause insomnia or if you do sleep, very vivid dreams and you wake feeling like you didn't sleep.  Make sure you take them in the morning, with food.  If it doesn't settle down you need to reassess your medication.

[dita]

Hi. My names Dita. Im 16 years old and have been suffering from anxiety for about 3 years now.
Lately my anxiety has gotten even worse.
I over analyse everything and get very paranoid. I also suffer from many physical symptoms such as : panic attacks, numbness and tingling, muscle twitches, muscle aches, nausea, dizziness chest pains and my chest is permanantly feeling tight. I have seeked help, but because i am still under my parents responsibilty, they have to aprrove of it. My parents are in denial about me having anxiety because they think that only mental people have it. They believe that i have a pysical problem, although... they do not do anything to help me.
I have been to hospital a few times.. when i just couldnt handle it anymore.
The counsillor that i saw (only once) said that my parents were putting me under too much pressure which is causing me to get all these nervous and anxious feelings.
I did not realise until last year that my parents are making me sick! mentally and physically. I do not know what to do. My parents limit me to everything.. im hardly ever allowed out especially at night. The expect me to pay all my schooling fees and some of the electricity bills, i only work 5 hours a week and do not earn much. I feel like im in a prison. Some of my friends think im strange, but its just my parents. Over the past couple of months, i think my anxiety has progressed to depression and agoraphobia.
If anyone has any ideas on how to let my parents get the help i need. Please help me.

[Emily34]

OK

*Deep breath*

Been on all day looking at a number of sites where people appear to have exactly the same symptoms as I do, and they all took Cipro or similar, its a fleuroquinone which is basically a very strong antibiotic which can be toxic in some people and cause all sorts of central nervous system problems.  Just slowly reading through all the other problems, including heart (I have had awful paplitations)

I have printed off a few pages and will take to doctors.  It seems there is no immediate 'cure' as such, just have to let it run its course

Thank for all your help, everyone.  I feel better knowing that there might be a reason for this other than a tumour or something.
Em

[tanns]

Hey Emily,  Here is a piece that I cut and pasted from that thread I was telling you about where a couple people mentioned the medication causing the anxiety.  If you want to look at the entire thread it is in this forum with the date of 11/16/06.

"If you look up "Levaquin ADR" online, or read the book "Bitter Pills" you will not believe what you are reading about this drug. It can cause horrible physical problems (snapped tendons, muscle aches, fibromyalgia, etc) in addition to psychotic reactions, anxiety, paranoia, etc. I too had an issue with Levaquin, and it started me on a couple of years of anxiety and panic attacks. I thought I was losing my mind. Stay away from that drug it can be poison. Your anxiety issues may be due to having been "floxed" which is basically the term for getting messed up on a fluoroquinolone such as Levaquin or Cipro. If you don't believe me search online - you won't like what you read."

Just a thought and I wish you the best.

tanns

[Emily34]

Thanks, I really appreciate your help.

Must learn how to spell 'fluroquinolone' before I try to google it!!  :)

[Emily34]

'fluoroquinolone'  even!  ;)

[Emily34]

It was ofloxacin I was given for the urinary infection but I am in the UK so maybe it is the same thing..?

I will mention it to my doctor I am going back on Monday.  You know, I felt odd from the moment I took the first tablet, I really mean that.  And I just could'nt understand how I could be so healthy one minute (apart from the urinary thing) and suddenly feel so strange.  I havn't changed anything else in my life, still eating the same foods etc so I thought it was maybe the meds.

Thanks for your help.  Off to google oxofloxacin and see what come up.
Em

[borninquisitive]

All kinds of people, in all professions, all walks of life who are not "mental"- have anxiety. If your parent's could understand this, it would be very helpful.

Most people who have anxiety under control (or who don't) generally don't talk about their condition with people they are not comfortable getting that personal with. So, who are we to know who has and does not have anxiety?

Anxiety is't a poor reflection on you or your parents.

You are at a difficult age. You know, we seem to hear all the wonderful things about youth, from those older but you know...truth of the matter is, while many good things can be said about youth (energy coming first to mind)...it can be a roller coaster ride! High highs and low lows.

Do you have a trusted family member that you can talk to about this? Perhaps they can speak with your parents about this.

Best.

[Emily34]

You poor girl.  Do you have a guidance teacher, or a school nurse you can go to?  Perhaps your parents would believe you if someone else confirmed how desperate you are feeling,although this should not be how it should be. I am SURE at age 16 you can also phone your doctors office yourself and make an appointment to go and see the nurse or a doctor.  You don't have to take your parents.  (Lots of  girls younger than you do this to get the contraceptive pill!) If you are ill, you need help and NO doctor or nurse would turn you away.  Your parents love you also, please try again to sit them down and tell them how you are feeling.

Best of luck
Em

[Emily34]

I went to the doctor today armed with information I found on the net, and while he was extremely sceptical, we did discuss a number of things, including the fact that these 'events' could be complex partial seizures, (differing slighly from epileptic type seizures due to the fact that they are the result of injury, and were *possibly* triggered the drug crossing the blood brain barrier.)

From Wiki - complex partial seizures are caused by a misfiring of a synapse in the brain which causes a

[suzi-q]

Emily, how did your doctor's appt go today?

Dita- is there someone in school that you can speak to who can help you deal with your parents?  

[suzi-q]

Wow!  Please let us know what your prognosis is.  It is truly amazing what can go on in our bodies.  It will be great if yours is from the meds that you were on.  Even though it is very scary, you can have a quick closure.  Best to you Emily, you will be in my prayers.

[Emily34]

Thank you so much.  This website is full of really lovely people. I was really worried about this - I just felt so strange - not ill as such, but I knew something had happened 'suddenly' to my body, rather than something slowly creeping up.  It really made me wonder what I had taken into my body, and the only thing was these strong antibiotics for the infection and medications for my stomach complaint.  Maybe taken together, they caused an averse reaction to my central nervous system.

I am lucky to have an understanding - if slightly sceptical doctor, but I do feel he is taking my worries seriously. He is baffled by my weird symptoms that all seem to have come at once.

I am grateful to all here who have helped, I really am so grateful.